FROZEN
by AngelofMystery
Summary: A story about Carlos! CHAPTER 4 IS DONE- please read and review, I hope everyone likes it okay :)
1. Uno

Title: Frozen  
  
Author: AngelofMystery  
  
E-Mail: angelofmystery@earthlink.net  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Summary: A story about Carlos  
  
Disclaimer: The characters of Third Watch belong to John Wells and Warner Brothers  
  
Author's Note: Everyone probably hates Carlos but I think he's worth writing about. He's my favorite character after Bosco and Faith. I can relate to his character (A little bit- compassion issues) and well I hope you guys like it.  
  
PART ONE:  
  
"Carlos you're-", Doc said to his partner while getting into the ambulance.  
  
"What? Cold, uncaring and aloof? Yeah, yeah. I heard it already. I couldn't help it back there, I had to get him out of the way!" Carlos said obviously angry and annoyed.  
  
Doc rolled his eyes, "No. I was saying that you were tracking mud in our bus."  
  
"Oh." Carlos said looking at the bottom of his shoes, sure enough there was mud on them. He got out and wiped them on a clump of wet grass then went back into the cab.  
  
"What's your problem man? You've been acting different." Doc said referring to Carlos's of many outbursts during the past week.  
  
"I don't want to talk about it," He snapped back, turning his gaze to the passenger window.  
  
Doc gave him another curious yet semi-concerned look before fixing his eyes on the road ahead of him.  
  
Within 15 minutes Carlos and Doc reached Central, Doc parked their ambulance and shut the engine off. Without a word Carlos bolted out and headed inside. They planned on have their break at the station house.  
  
"Hey Carlos, are you coming with us after our shift?" Jimmy asked sipping a Pepsi.  
  
"Where?" Carlos asked half listening.  
  
"To the hospital to hand out toys to the little kids."  
  
"No, I'm not coming." His voice muffled by the fridge, which his head was in looking for food.  
  
"Why not? They're little kids…" Jimmy asked irritated.  
  
"Boo-hoo the little brats are in the hospital that's not a reason to show them with presents. Who was there when I was being knocked around by one of my many foster parents? Where was the toys and caring then? Let me tell you: It wasn't there. So no I'm not going to help out those kids, they already have it better then I ever did…" Carlos yelled and slammed the fridge door.  
  
Jimmy looked at him, he knew about the foster homes but he didn't know about him being knocked around by them. "Ok." He said calmly.  
  
Carlos realized he just told him about being knocked around by his foster parents, he never told anyone- not even Doc.  
  
Realizing this is walked up stairs, wanting to be alone. Some many feeling were boiling inside of him anger and annoyance being the told two. He plopped down on a cot and closed his eyes. Lately, for some reason memories of living with the Johnsons' kept invading his sleep. Maybe it was that domestic abuse call Doc and me took a while ago, he thought to himself.  
  
While living with the Johnsons' Carlos used to get slapped, punished and whipped for drawing cards and saying he loved them- stuff that normal kids did with their parents. They were sick like that, so after a while Carlos just stopped. Then after being sent to one foster home to the other, receiving little of no affection slowly he became the cold, uncaring, aloof ass that he was now. No one knew the real reason, well, until now no one did. He'd bet Jimmy was down there telling everyone at 5-5 his business.  
  
Half an hour went by, and Carlos was in a slumber between awake and sleep, between nightmare and dream. Someone shook him and he opened his eyes slowly realizing it was Doc.  
  
"Our breaks over. Did you eat?" Doc asked.  
  
"No I didn't, there was crap in the fridge." Carlos said yawning. He got up and stumbled slightly. Doc grabbed on to his arm.  
  
"Are you sure you're okay?" He asked now really concerned.  
  
"I told you, I'm fine." He replied walking down the stairs.  
  
"You should really eat, your blood sugar is probably low. We'll stop somewhere and get you something." Doc said, telling more than asking.  
  
"Thanks." Carlos said, his words actually sounding thankful. They left and got in their bus. Carlos stared out the window then asked Doc if he heard *anything* from Jimmy, Doc said he didn't and try to probe into his question naturally curious but Carlos cut him off and let it be.  
  
Like Doc said they stopped at a small pizza place where Carlos got 2 pieces of a pepperoni pizza to go. Shortly after eating they got a call on their radio.  
  
"Adam 5-5 this is Central. Domestic dispute on the corner or Parkway and Terrace, it's the first building on the corner, apartment number 5A. Over." The radio crackled.  
  
"Central this is Adam 5-5. We're en route to Parkway and Terrace. Over." Doc replied into the receiver.  
  
Not another one, Carlos thought.  
  
They arrived at a code 2- light buy no sirens, parked the ambulance and hauled their gear up to the huge apartment complex. Carlos searched the weathered labels to find apartment 5A when he did he pressed it.  
  
"Hello? How is it?" A woman's shaky voice came through the intercom.  
  
"It's the paramedics, ma'am." Doc said.  
  
They heard the buzzer and opened the door, walked up 5 floors and knocked on the door.  
  
An older woman with long brown hair, blue eyes, fair skin and frail figure answered, her mascara smeared and lip bleeding.  
  
"In here." She said leading them through her small cluttered living room.  
  
Carlos held his breath hoping for the best but his wish was unheard. Laying in a the bed was a small boy, his two eyes swollen and red, his mouth was bleeding, his arm laid cradled in a make-do kitchen rag, his leg was swollen in a knot belong his knee. Someone really beat this kid up.  
  
Doc rushed to the little boy's side, giving him aid and soothing him with calming, friendly words. Carlos stood in the door way still, frozen in time, memories can flooding back to him, he was never beat this bad but pretty close.  
  
"My-My boyfriend was watching Tommy, I came home and heard screams-I ran into the bedroom and found him-slapping and attacking, he got me on his way out." She said quietly.  
  
Carlos felt sick. Without a second thought he turned around leaving Doc, the boy and woman behind, he wasn't in the mood right now…  
  
TO BE CONTINUED… 


	2. Dos

Title: Frozen  
  
Author: AngelofMystery  
  
E-Mail: angelofmystery@earthlink.net  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Summary: A story about Carlos  
  
Disclaimer: The characters of Third Watch belong to John Wells and Warner Brothers  
  
Author's Note: I hope everyone likes it (  
  
PART TWO:  
  
One thing Carlos learned was if someone thought something was wrong they wouldn't stop till they found out what it was. They'd badger relentlessly, asking questions and offering to help until they were purple.  
  
"Look, Doc. I told you I'm fine." Carlos said for the billionth time, things were starting to get old really quick.  
  
"You know denial never got anyone far." Doc countered.  
  
"Thanks for the words of wisdom." Carlos said sarcastically.  
  
"If-" Doc began but Carlos cut him off.  
  
"Enough." He said.  
  
The rest of the drive was in silence with Carlos trying to catch up on some homework he missed in anatomy and Doc driving.  
  
"You know our shift is almost over. How about we grab something to eat and talk." Doc suggested.  
  
"I'll take a rain check." Carlos replied a little calmer.  
  
"Okay." He replied, letting the silence take over once more.  
  
Within 20 minute their shift was over, Carlos couldn't be happier. When they reached the house he went upstairs, gathered his things and left without a word.  
  
0000000000000  
  
"I'll have another shot." Carlos told the bartender after he finished his first drink.  
  
"Alright." The man said. A minute later Carlos was downing another drink.  
  
He didn't usually drink to drown his problems but tonight it seemed like the best thing to do. He didn't want to go home just yet, Davis and Alex were probably having sex in the living room or something, not something he wanted to see.  
  
After two more drinks he decided to call it a night, he was already feeling the affects of the alcohol and wanted to be able to drive. He left the money for the drinks on the counter and walked out.  
  
"Thanks." The bartender yelled as Carlos walked out.  
  
He got in his vehicle and sat there, the events of the day and his childhood creeping into his memory. He started the car and started to drive home, he took the back roads, which weren't as busy wanting to take his time. As he drove flashbacks began to fill his head…  
  
  
  
"Get out of here you little bastard!" Mr. Johnson yelled while throwing the bird feeder  
  
Carlos made in shop for his birthday across the room. "What did I tell you?" He screamed when Carlos didn't budge.  
  
Tears filled his eyes and streamed down his face but he didn't budge. Something was holding him back, maybe it was the hope that Mr. Johnson would come to his senses and thank him for the gift and give him a hug or maybe it was fear.  
  
"You want me to make you then!" Mr. Johnson yelled and took his belt out of the loops of his pants and whipped Carlos sending pain through his body…  
  
Somewhere between reality and flashback Carlos saw Mr. Johnson walking across the street ahead of him. With knuckles bone white, clutching the steering wheel and foot on the gas he barreled ahead determined to wipe out the man who plagued his thoughts and life. He wasn't thinking as he flew down the street, if he was he would have realized he was about ready to hit a car parked in a drive way, all he was thinking about was killing the bastard that screwed up his life.  
  
The impact was hard, jerking Carlos forward and back. His head hit the steering wheel causing a blunt trauma to his forehead and sending pain down his neck, his seat inched forward with the impact jamming the steer wheel into his ribs, his leg was fractured and throbbing with pain. The sound of the other car's alarm flooded his warped senses.  
  
His last thoughts before slipping into unconsciousness were of how he got the bastard Mr. Johnson.  
  
  
  
TO BE CONTINUED… 


	3. Tres

Title: Frozen  
  
Author: AngelofMystery  
  
E-Mail: angelofmystery@earthlink.net  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Summary: A story about Carlos  
  
Disclaimer: The characters of Third Watch belong to John Wells and Warner Brothers  
  
Author's Note: I hope this chapter came out right; I wouldn't want to disappoint anyone! I'm NOT that good at the medical-action scenes!!  
  
PART THREE:  
  
Right after the crash the frantic homeowner woke up and peaked out her window to see what the commotion was only to feel as though she were dreaming a nightmare. She stumbled in the dark relieved when the phone was tightly in her hands. Quickly she dialed 9-1-1, telling them what had happened. They told her to stay inside and wait for the emergency services to arrive, she hung up the phone and sunk down in the closest chair, not wanting to see the tragedy in her own driveway.  
  
Within 10 minutes the quiet neighborhood was awaken by the lights and sirens of the emergency services. The fire engine being the first got to work, making sure the scene was safe for the medics, who came next, to do their work. Lastly the police arrived questioning the homeowner and any possible witnesses.  
  
"What kind of person crashes into a parked car?" Kim, who had to pull a double shift, asked her partner for tonight, Sally.  
  
"Either a very dumb person or a very unlucky one." Sally replied carrying the gear while Kim pushed the stretcher.  
  
The firefighters gave them the go-ahead and they started to get to work. Kim bent down ready to assess the victim when her heart jumped into her throat.  
  
"Oh my god!" She whispered in shock and amazement. Carlos wasn't her favorite person but seeing him there, one of her own sent a shiver down her spine as she fought to keep thoughts of Bobby out of her mind.  
  
"What?" Sally asked confused.  
  
"I know this guy, he works the third watch with me…" Kim explained.  
  
Sally realizing Kim was distracted got to work, bracing his neck, checking his BP and reps, noting any life threatening and minor injuries.  
  
"Who is he?" Sally asked while working.  
  
"Carlos Nieto." She said. "Hey do you have a cell phone? I left mine at the house."  
  
"Yeah, here you go." Sally said taking the phone out from one of her pockets. "Can you help me put him on the stretcher?" She added.  
  
"Yeah, of course." Kim said. The two of them carefully placed the unconscious Carlos on the stretcher. "How bad is it?" Kim asked while looking at him.  
  
He looked so lifeless and vulnerable, two things Carlos never was.  
  
"Well his BP and reps are okay. He may have a few bruised or broken ribs- the steering wheel really plowed into him, his leg is swollen… but what I'm really worried about is this head wound. It looks like he hit it pretty hard, hard enough to knock him out for this long."  
  
Kim and Sally wheeled Carlos into the bus, having a police officer drive, while Sally dictated his stats to Our Lady Of Mercy Hospital and Kim called Doc.  
  
"Hey Doc it's Kim." She paused. "Carlos has been in an accident, it's pretty serious. We're heading to Mercy now, can you meet us there. If any medical care needs to get given you're the only one who can consent…" Kim said in a rush.  
  
"I'll be there." Doc said already rushing out the door.  
  
Kim hung up the phone and turned her attention to Carlos who was moaning yet still unconscious. When they reached Mercy Hospital Doc was just pulling up "How is he?" Doc asked jogging up to them, concern clearly written on his face. He looked down at Carlos as he was wheeled into Exam Room 2, "Oh, God…What did he do?" He whispered.  
  
Kim broke away, letting Sally tell the doctors everything while she talked to Doc. "I have no idea what happened…he hit a parked car head on, looks like he was driving pretty fast…"  
  
Doc nodded. "What are his injuries?"  
  
"Well he's got a swollen leg, a few broken ribs and a big head injury- he hasn't regained consciousness…" She said knowing Doc was thinking the same thing- only a major head injury could knock someone out that long.  
  
"God." Doc sighed. "I'm going to talk to the doctor."  
  
"Keep me updated?" She asked.  
  
"Of course." He said and walked to exam room that help his partner.  
  
"Only family allowed, Sir." A short nurse said when seeing Doc walk in.  
  
"He has no family, I'm the closest he's got…" Doc said annoyed.  
  
"It's okay, Carol." The doctor on call said to the nurse. "Doc, I'm glad you're here. He's stable as far as BP and reps are…We ordered a head and neck and CT scan to rule out any serious damages he may have to his brain, we also ordered a X-ray of his torso to see how many broken ribs were dealing with…Do you know how this happened?"  
  
"No, no I don't. I hope I get the chance to ask him though." Doc said quietly.  
  
"Well when we get the tests back you'll be the first to know, until then how about getting yourself a coffee and trying to relax." The doctor said.  
  
Doc agreed and went into the waiting room and sat down, this was one hell of a night he thought. Doc kept trying to make sense of what happened, was it an accident, did he do it on purpose, did someone ram him off the road? Something's been bothering him did this have any connection? By now it was around 2:30 in the morning and Doc was too tired to think.  
  
0000000000  
  
While Carlos was being wheeled around the hospital getting X-rays and a CT scan he dreamed a dream he wished he could escape. In his dream he killed Mr. Johnson in cold blood, he ran out side of his vehicle leaning down to check for a pulse. There was none, red blood covered his tan hands as he frantically tried to wipe it off. He stood there staring at Mr. Johnson, frozen the way he had so many times years before. In a blink of an eye cops zeroed in on the scene, boxing Carlos in.  
  
"Put you hands in the air!" Once cop yelled. Carlos did so, not wanting to cause trouble.  
  
Two officers ran up to him, guns drawn ready for use as jerked his hands down in the cuffs. They felt cold and tight against his warm skin.  
  
"You have the right to remain silent, anything you do, say can and will be used against you in the court of law…" One cops told him. Then it click- he was being arrested for killing Mr. Johnson.  
  
"Do you understand those rights?" A female cop asked.  
  
Everything was happing so fast, too fast. "Yeah." Carlos choked out.  
  
Next thing he knew he was being thrown into a small holding cell. "I want my phone call!" He yelled to the guards down the hall.  
  
They gave him his phone call, which he used to call Doc only Doc wasn't there and his call was wasted.  
  
As the guard started to walk him back to the holding cell Carlos decided to bolt, not thinking about anything but escaping. The guard tackled him, causing him to hit the floor, his head now pounding.  
  
"He deserved it!!" Carlos yelled over and over…  
  
0000000  
  
The results form the tests were back, the doctor was explaining them to Doc just outside Carlos's room when they heard yells from inside.  
  
"He deserved it!! He deserved it!!" Carlos yelled now wide-awake and conscious.  
  
Doc and the doctor ran in, Doc went to his side to talk to him. "Carlos, it's okay."  
  
"No! I did it!! He deserved to die!" He screamed, now trying to claw at Doc and the doctor with amazing strength.  
  
"Carol! We're going to need restraints!" The doctor called to the other room.  
  
  
  
TO BE CONTINUED… (The next part should be better than this!) 


	4. Quatre

Title: Frozen  
  
Author: AngelofMystery  
  
E-Mail: angelofmystery@earthlink.net  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Summary: A story about Carlos  
  
Disclaimer: The characters of Third Watch belong to John Wells and Warner Brothers  
  
Author's Note: It's been awhile, sorry! I've been busy w/ school and stuff… I hope everyone likes it…I just sort of started typing and didn't pay much attention to where it was actually going!!  
  
PART FOUR:  
  
  
  
"The Blood…so warm…get it off of my hands!!!" Carlos shrieked. He attempted to rub off the imaginary blood from his hands but it was quite difficult with the restraints, which just clanged on the metal bar with his frantic movements. "Mr. Johnson…I killed him…Oh, God what have I done?" He asked more to himself then to Doc who was sitting to his left in a hard plastic chair.  
  
Doc sat there totally taken by his partner's condition. The doctors decided to give him a small dose of a tranquilizer but not enough to knock him out; they wanted to keep him conscious to assess his injuries and mental state. Doc had no idea what to do, he already assured Carlos a billion times that he didn't kill anyone but his words had no meaning now, but he kept trying.  
  
"Carlos. Listen. To. Me." Doc said emphasizing each word as he leaned forward closer to Carlos. "You didn't kill anyone. There was no blood besides yours at the scene, no blood on the ground or on the hood of your car, and more importantly- No body…" Doc stopped hoping what he just said would sink in.  
  
Carlos turned his head to look at Doc. "I saw it Doc!" Carlos said, his old self returning momentarily.  
  
"No, you didn't. You hit a parked car in a driveway, not a person. Now maybe while you were unconscious you dreamt of killing someone…?" Doc said. First he wanted to establish with Carlos that he didn't kill anyone then he would find out about the Mr. Johnson thing. A psych consult was called in to assess Carlos but Doc thought it would help him if he talked to a friend first.  
  
"It was so real…so real." He said, his voice now quiet as a mouse.  
  
"I know, I know. It's over now…" Doc said patting Carlos's left shoulder.  
  
Carlos turned his head away from Doc and silence filled the room for a long while. Doc sat there contemplating what to do and say next, he made progress but he didn't want to screw that up. When Carlos turned his head tears where streaming down his face Doc's heart went out for him, this must be very rough.  
  
"Can you undo these restraints?" Carlos asked in a whisper.  
  
"I'm not suppose to but as long as you don't pull that wacko crap again I will."  
  
"I won't."  
  
Doc quickly unlatched the restraints and handed Carlos a tissue. He used it to wipe away his tears and wipe his hands.  
  
"Do you want to tell me about it?" Doc asked in the sweetest voice.  
  
Carlos didn't answer.  
  
"Hey, I'm just trying to help you. Would you rather tell a shrink or me first?" He said a little tougher.  
  
"You." Carlos replied.  
  
"Good…" Doc said letting his words hang.  
  
Carlos told Doc all about his childhood with the Johnson' and foster homes and what he remembered of last night (it was early morning now), he let everything out, not holding back.  
  
"I am so sorry." Doc said after hearing it all. It never occurred to him that there was an underlining reason like being abused as a child that could account for his emotional problems. He always thought Carlos was born cold, uncaring and aloof; it never occurred to him that he might have been like a normal person before.  
  
"Don't be. Just be glad it never happened to you." Carlos said annoyed, not because of Doc but because of the emotions the memories triggered.  
  
"You need to talk to someone about this…a therapist…maybe?" Doc suggested aware the Carlos hated mental health professionals.  
  
"Yeah, yeah."  
  
Doc nodded and stood up. "Look I've got to go home and shower, maybe take a nap- four hours till our watch."  
  
"Alright." He said as Doc started walking. "Don't tell anyone, please." He added.  
  
Doc turned around. "I won't. And good luck with the shrink. I'll come and visit you later."  
  
Then the door was closed, locking him in his own little, silent world. In the first time in his life he felt free. He closed his eyes and started to fall asleep when the door opened.  
  
"Hello?" It was Alex.  
  
"Yeah?" Carlos said.  
  
"Can we come in?" She asked through the still cracked door. Who was we?  
  
"Yeah, sure." He said, leaving the idea of sleeping behind.  
  
Alex and Ty walked in to his bed.  
  
"How are you doing?" She asked.  
  
"Fine."  
  
"I heard about what happened, you're really lucky you know." Ty said.  
  
"I guess you can say that."  
  
"Well we just wanted to see if you're okay." Alex said.  
  
"Thank you, really. The only other person who was here was Doc…" Carlos said looking at both of them. "Hey, Ty can you do me a favor?"  
  
"Yeah, sure. What is it?"  
  
"Can you look and see if there's a criminal record for a Lawrence Nathan Johnson?"  
  
Ty jotted the name down on his notepad and looked up.  
  
"Anything serious?" He asked.  
  
"No, just personal. Just tell me what you find, please." Carlos said.  
  
"Well, Nieto. We got to be going to the house, Lieu wanted to talk to come early, something about something." She said quickly.  
  
"Don't lie, you're going to have sex in some storage room or something." He said with a smile.  
  
Ty and Alex looked at each other and smiled. They were so easy to see through.  
  
"I'll tell you what I dig up of this Johnson guy. See you." Ty said while walking out the door Alex by his side.  
  
"Bye Carlos!" She called.  
  
Half an hour went by and sleep came easy, but the peacefulness was shattered by a voice. When he opened his eyes he found Nurse Tammy Sizemore standing over him.  
  
"What the hell were you thinking?" She asked right away.  
  
"I wasn't. What are you doing here?" He asked curious. They may have had life changing sex in room 302 but she didn't seem to care.  
  
"I heard what happened, I wanted to see if you're okay. There were some wild stories going around…"  
  
"Really? Like what?" He asked flatly.  
  
"You went insane, you killed someone…yada, yada, yada." She said sitting down in the chair Doc sat in an hour or two before.  
  
"It's crap." He replied not wanting to get into the details with her.  
  
"Thought so."  
  
"So…" Tammy said trying to fill the void.  
  
"So…" Carlos said.  
  
"I'm going to get back to work. When you get better give me a call, I can think of something we can do." She said with a mischievous smile.  
  
"Fine by me." What kind of man would refuse sex, not him.  
  
After Nurse Tammy Sizemore's visit time seemed to drag on and on and on and on. The shrink came in, pissed him off as they all do, and left saying he was mentally competent. He could've told her that himself! Dumb people. It was late evening by the time Ty showed up.  
  
"That guy has a warrant, a repeat child abuser. I'm going to go pick him up. Get that scum back off the street…" Ty said.  
  
"Thank god, that damn bastard." Carlos slipped.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Oh nothing, he used to be my foster parent and would knock me around…that's why I said it was personal…" Carlos said, remembering the shrink saying that it was a good step to tell people his feelings.  
  
"Don't worry, I'll make sure to get him- for you." Ty said walking out the room.  
  
Carlos sat there in the dark and thought. This was maybe the best day of his life. All his troubles were behind him, everything was open to possibilities…or where they not? Carlos had no idea what was waiting before him, no idea what was lurking in the shadows of a new day. He had no idea at all. And all he could do was wait, helplessly.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED… Hope everyone like this chapter! Please opinions, comments, and suggestions? 


End file.
